Clean & Hygiene Review ( Nov-Dec 2014)

Nov-Dec ’14

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Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Narender Kumar Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Business Co-ordinator Pooja Anand Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrath Nath, Sumesh Sharma Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhre Subscription Sales Dattaram Gangurde Director Sales Sanjay Anand Director Operations & Finance Rajat Taneja Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 25854103 / 05 Mumbai: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400 093 Ph.: 91-22-28395833 Telefax: 91-22-28388947 Website: www.chrmag.com E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net Š 2014 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

Clean & Hygiene Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 313, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Print Creations, C-112/3, Basement, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110 028.

Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs.90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

nother year has just gone by. But for the cleaning professionals across the countr y, it was not just another year! 2014 will perhaps go down in the history as a remarkable year for all who are even remotely concerned with cleanliness and hygiene. For it was the year when the Prime Minister of the country highlighted the importance of cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his Independence Day speech and announced his plans to launch a new mission to clean India within a set time frame - by 2019. Finally, the Clean India Mission was launched on October 2 and people from different segments of the society have picked up the broom to advance the cause of the mission which is perhaps the biggest of its kind so far.

And as the mission has professed, the involvement of every citizen is indeed very crucial to achieving this seemingly small but practically difficult goal of maintaining cleanliness. What is interesting to note is that, it is also not necessary for everyone to pick up the broom and sweep the streets to contribute to this cause. Simply by changing your own hygiene habits, you can do a lot of service to the society. Yes, it is that simple. And if you do not believe, go through the Cover Story of this issue.

It highlights how poor hygiene sense of the swimmers can contribute to the contamination of water in swimming pools. Such contaminated water could results in many recreational water illnesses such as diarrhea, irritation of the skin, etc. Recent studies have found that about 93 percent of uric acid introduced to pools comes from human urine. Chlorine is used to disinfect the pool water, but researchers have shown that many constituents of urine including urea, uric acid, and amino acids, interact with chlorine to produce potentially hazardous disinfection byproducts in swimming pools. So if swimmers simply improve their own hygiene habits, they can help a lot in maintaining a clean pool, the benefits of which can be enjoyed by many.

For those looking to start a new venture in the New Year, the Business Story highlights the opportunities that carpet cleaning offers. It points out that while the demand of carpet cleaning professionals is very high, setting up a carpet cleaning business is not very difficult. So anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit, a little bit of courage and a water-tight business plan backed by an effective marketing strategy can afford to set up a carpet cleaning business and enjoy the freedom and fortune that owning a business offers.

With details of indoor air pollutants, kitchen cleaning, eco-friendly pest management and intricacies of ozone in laundry, you may find other features of this issue equally interesting.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

Editorial Policy : Editorial emphasis in Clean & Hygiene Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing cleaning & maintenance, Laundry, Pest Control, Water & Waste Management and Environment. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

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Nov-Dec ’14

Contents Contents

Cover story

Hygiene in Swimming Pools

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Associated with glamour, fun and health, the cool swimming pools can turn into hotbeds of harmful microorganism in the absence of proper maintenance and callous disregard of the hygiene norms, posing serious health risks to the swimmers

business

Making a Killing with Carpet Cleaning A good business plan combined with an effective marketing strategy could be key to success in this easy-to-setup but hard-to-sustain business of carpet cleaning

14 cleaning

How to Keep the Kitchen Clean

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Right from the architecture of the building to the education of the staff, maintaining hygiene in the kitchen involves a complex process, strict monitoring and complete dedication

pest management Eco-Friendly Pest Management

24 Nov-Dec ’14

With a focus on exclusion and use of bio-pesticides or plant based pesticides, a non-toxic eco-friendly approach to pest management offers a healthier alternative to chemical pesticides in keeping common kitchen and house pests at bay

sections 4

News Scan

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Report

19 Hygiene 28

Laundry

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Waste Management

34 38 40

IAQ Product Preview Interview 3

news sca n

Radisson Blu Marina joins ADB to provide $75-mn cleanliness drive loan for water management With a commitment to keep the neighbourhood clean, Radisson Blu Marina, Connaught Place formally joined the Clean India in Karnataka Mission on November 15.

Prime Minister Narender Modi launched the mission ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ on October 2 and urged every citizen to be part of it.

As part of its cleanliness drive, Radisson Bu Marina adopted the street in the vicinity of the hotel to spruce it. A team of 32 members of the hotel plunged into action with brooms and cleaning kit in their disposal. Carrying a banner with a tagline “Join hands with Radisson Blu Marina to keep Connaught Place clean, put the rubbish into the bin,” the team also took a stroll in the neighbourhood to raise awareness about the mission and encourage more people to take part in it.

“This is not an act of one time event, it is a translation of our pledge to keep the neighbourhood clean,” said General Manager Dhananjay Kumar, who created nine ambassadors and requested them to collaborate with like minded people across the region to expand and sustain the ‘Swachh Bharat’ movement.

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To help improve water resource management in three towns of Karnataka, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide $75-million loan and $1.8-million grant.

The loan from the ADB has a 25-year term, including a grace period of five years.

The first tranche of the loan under the Karnataka Integrated Urban Water Management Investment Program will help expand and upgrade urban water supply and sanitation infrastructure; improve water resource planning, monitoring and service delivery; and strengthen operational and administrative capacity in the three towns of Byadagi, Davanagere and Harihar.

Tarun Bajaj, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, signed the agreement on behalf of Government of India, and Rajeev Singh, Officer-in-Charge of ADB’s India Resident Mission, signed the agreement on behalf of ADB. The project agreement was signed by D. Chandrashekariah, Joint Director, Planning, Urban Development Department, Government of Karnataka on behalf of Government of Karnataka and Darpan Jain, Managing Director, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development & Finance Corporation Limited (KUIDFC) on behalf of KUIDFC. This project would help increase water treatment capacity by 15,000 cubic meters per day; help expand and upgrade more than 1,000 kilometers of water pipelines, and increase sewage treatment capacity by 48,000 cubic meters per day, thereby promoting water efficiency and environmental protection, Bajaj said.

The project will pioneer the establishment of Urban Local Bodies Incentive Fund to assist towns in implementing reforms and mainstreaming the use of performance-based contracts in ensuring continuous water services, Singh noted.

He said that the project would also test the application of output based approaches to support programme for poor and vulnerable households.

The investment program aims to improve water resource management in urban areas in a holistic and sustainable manner.

Investment support will be provided to modernise and expand urban water supply and sanitation (UWSS) while strengthening relevant institutions to enhance efficiency, productivity and sustainability in water use.

Innovative instruments, such as public-private partnership (PPP) or reform oriented incentive funds will also be pursued.

The programme will seek to assist more fragile environments increasingly affected by water resource degradation, often located in North Karnataka, a statement said.

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ne w s scan

Integrated policy to drive cleanliness in Railways Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu has issued directions for formulation of an integrated policy on cleanliness at the station, platforms and coaches.

“This policy will ensure better and effective coordination among number of departments involved for providing cleanliness. The sense of responsibility and accountability will also be clearly defined,” the Minister said.

This integrated policy would clearly lay down the parameters and benchmarks for cleanliness -- structures/procedures for garbage collection, garbage sorting and garbage disposal.

The Zonal Railways have also been directed to constitute a new department for house-keeping using the existing staff strength.

It can be mentioned here that during the year 2013 - 2014, the Railways set up 13 additional mechanized laundries. Mechanised cleaning, rag picking and disposal contracts are being awarded or ensuring cleaning of stations including platforms.

More and more toilets are being brought under ‘pay & use’ scheme.

To improve upon the effectiveness of its housekeeping schemes like On Board Housing Services (OBHS), Clean Train Stations (CTS) and Mechanised Coach Cleaning in coaching depots, Zonal Railways have been advised for close monitoring of cleaning operations, use of biometric attendance system for OBHS staff and evolve an evaluation system for CTS functioning.

India’s e-waste business to overtake China The e-waste market in India is projected to grow at a higher rate than in China in the next few ye.ars, show results of two reports by a US-based market research organization.

According to the report titled ‘E-waste Market in India 2015-2019’, e-waste market in India is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26 per cent during 2015-2019.

On the other hand, another report points out that e-waste management services market in China is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 19.41 per cent over the period 2013-2018.

As per the report concerning India’s e-waste market, the need to prevent biological hazards is one of the major trends coming up in this market.

“Growing need to reduce toxins discharged from unattended e-waste has triggered more investment in the market,” the research by ReportsnReports.com said.

The average discard/replacement rates have increased with a corresponding increase in buying power, it noted, adding that lack of effective e-waste disposal mechanisms is hindering market growth.

E-waste broadly describes loosely discarded, surplus, broken, obsolete, electrical and electronic devices comprising the whole range of electronic and electrical items such as computers and printers, mobiles, i-pods, refrigerators, washing machines etc. It is an area of immediate and long term concern as its unregulated accumulation and recycling can lead to major environmental degradation which will pose a major threat to health, it said.

Nov-Dec ’14

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Air pollution turning India’s Taj Mahal yellow: Study Airborne carbon particles and dust are giving the Taj Mahal’s iconic marble dome and soaring minarets a brownish cast, says a study by Indian and US scientists.

The carbon particles come from a variety of sources, including fuel combustion, cooking and brick-making, trash Credit: Mike Bergin and refuse burning, and vehicle exhaust. The dust may come from local agricultural activities and vehicular traffic - or from distant sources.

Knowing the culprits in the discoloration is just the first step in cleaning up the Taj Mahal. Scientists now must determine where the particles are coming from to develop strategies for controlling them.

“Our team was able to show that the pollutants discoloring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust possibly from agriculture and road traffic,” said Michael Bergin, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US. “We have also been able to show how these particles could be responsible for the brownish discoloration observed,” Bergin added.

In addition to Georgia Tech, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur (IIT-K), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the University of Wisconsin collaborated on the project.

Built in the 1600s by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the structure is a mausoleum that includes a massive marble dome 115 feet high and minarets that reach 130 feet. Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Beginning in the 1970s, observers noted a brownish cast to the white marble that makes up the structures.

Today, routine cleaning, including the painstaking application and removal of a clay material, maintains the brightness of the marble. Air pollution had been suspected as the culprit responsible for the discoloration, but no systematic study had been done and the specific components of the air pollutants responsible for the discoloration and the mechanisms by which they discolor the surface had remained unknown.

For the study, the researchers used air sampling equipment to measure what was in the air in the Taj Mahal complex from November 2011 through June 2012. Filters from the air-sampling equipment were analysed for both fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) and total suspended particulate matter. The analysis was done by scientists in both India and the United States.

In addition, the researchers placed small samples of pristine marble onto the Taj Mahal at various locations near the main dome. After exposure to air pollutants over a two-month period, the samples were analyzed using an electron microscope to measure the size and the number of particles deposited on their surfaces as well as their elemental signatures. This information allowed the researchers to determine the likely composition of the particles.

The researchers found particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon in the filters and on the marble samples, Bergin said.

The research was reported online December 3, 2014, in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

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Nov-Dec ’14

report

Swachh Bharat Mission totally decentralised in urban areas As per the implementation guidelines approved by the Ministry of Urban Development, urban local bodies to approve toilet projects; States to clear solid waste management proposals, and private investment of Rs. 42,512 crore is being targeted under the mission in urban areas

Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu taking Swachhta Pledge at a function, organised by the Rotary International Institute on swachh Bharat, in Chennai on December 13.

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n a far reaching initiative, the Ministry of Urban Development has withdrawn itself from appraisal and approval of various project proposals under the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ to be implemented in all the 4,041 statutory towns and cities across the country, said a statement from the Ministry on December 26.

As per the implementation guidelines approved

by Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu, urban local bodies (ULBs) and state/UT governments have been fully empowered to propose and approve the projects. ULBs have been authorized to prepare, sanction and implement projects in respect of constructing individual household toilets besides community and public toilets, under the broad directions of state/UT governments. Solid Waste Management project proposals of ULBs will be approved by state/UT governments. Venkaiah Naidu has preferred this decentralization to augment capacities of ULBs besides enabling quicker implementation of the Mission, under which cleanliness is to be ensured by the year 2019.

Out of the total project cost of Rs. 62,009 cr, central assistance would be Rs. 14,623 cr while the states/UTs would be required to contribute Rs. 4,874 cr. Under different components of Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas, states would make a matching contribution of 25% of the share of central government. This share in respect of NorthEastern and Special Category States would be 10% of central share. Accordingly, a private investment of Rs. 42,512 cr is being targeted under Swachh

Nov-Dec ’14

Bharat Mission in urban areas.

Component-wise, central government will provide an incentive of Rs. 4,000/- in respect of each individual household toilet to be built, 40 percent as Grant or Viability Gap Fund(VGF) for community toilets and 20 percent Grant/VGF in respect of Solid Waste Management Projects.

Public toilets will be built entirely with private investment.

Public toilets are to be provided for the floating population or general public in places such as markets, railways stations, tourist places, near office complexes or such other public areas.

To finance building of public toilets, States and ULBs would identify land and leverage the same and advertisements to encourage private sector investments for construction and maintenance through PPP agreement.

Community toilets are a shared facility provided by and for a group of residents or an entire settlement, primarily, for the benefit of low income and informal settlements/slums, where space/ land is a constraint in providing a household toilet.

In respect of individual household toilets, beneficiaries could be even from unauthorized colonies, notified or non-notified slums also along with those from authorized colonies.

15 percent of the total central allocation, i.e Rs.2,139 cr, has been earmarked for behavior change communication to sensitise urbanites about open defecation, proper use and maintenance of toilets, prevention of manual scavenging, hygiene practices etc., and related

health and environmental consequences. An amount of Rs.428 cr will be used for capacity building of urban local bodies.

In yet another innovation, 20 percent of central share, i.e Rs.,2,924 cr, has been earmarked as Performance Fund out of which allocation will be made to performing States/UTs based on physical performance in respect of states objectives.

Swachh Bharat Mission(Urban) seeks to eliminate open defecation and manual scavenging besides promoting modern and scientific Municipal Solid Waste Management and realizing behavioral changes regarding healthy sanitation practices.

Under this Mission, it is targeted to build one crore individual household toilets besides 2.52 crore community toilet seats and 2.56 crore community toilet seats. Over 30 crore urbanites are to be assisted with solid waste management practices.

Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) will have a three-tier management structure. At the centre, the National Advisory and Review Committee (NARC) will be headed by Secretary(UD) and will have representatives of concerned ministries. NARC’s role will be overall monitoring, advising States/ UTs on innovative resource mobilization besides monitoring outcomes. At the level of States/ UTs, a High Powered Committee chaired by Chief Secretary will prepare State Sanitation Strategy, empanel consultants for preparation of Detailed Project Reports, approve solid waste management proposals of ULBs and monitor outcomes and O&M arrangements. At the bottom, there will be District Level Review and Monitoring Committees.

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c ov o ver e r st st oo rr yy

Hygiene

in

Swimming

Associated with glamour, fun and health, the cool swimming pools can turn into hotbeds of harmful microorganism in the absence of proper maintenance and callous disregard of the hygiene norms, posing serious health risks to the swimmers

By Ashok Malkani

S

wimming is an exercise that can keep one healthy and fit. For party revelers, the pools are preferred venues to warm up their spirits in the company of friends during both summer and winter sessions. Many hotels and swimming club owners even organsie special winter games in the warmed up pools to amuse their guests. The summer requires no such efforts as both adults and children are naturally inclined to spend the hot days splashing water to cool their bodies, minds and souls.

But there are dangers lurking in the pool too. Unlike the sea, where you are scared of being carried away by underwater currents, swimming pools pose no such overt danger. But there is one danger that is common to all water bodies – that of water

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pollution. Water pollution can cause physical discomfort. Swimming pools, which are common to all – as in clubs and hotels – can be a menace if they are not properly maintained.

If one swims in the water contaminated with germs, risk of exposure to recreational water illnesses (RWI) is high. Not only lakes, rivers or the seas, but also man-made structures such as swimming pools and water parks pose such risk.

Diarrhea is the most commonly reported swimming pool-related disease. Germs such as Crypto (short for Cr yptosporidium), Giardia, Shigella, norovirus and E. coli O157:H7 cause the disease.

Crypto has become the leading cause of swimming pool-related

Nov-Dec ’14

cover story RWIs include wide variety of infections, such as gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections.

According to CDC, “RWIs are caused by germs spread by swallowing, breathing in mists or aerosols of, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, water parks, water play areas, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans.�

Pee in the Pool: It is not just the children who are likely to pee in the pool. Adults too tend to assume that peeing in the pool is acceptable. Studies have also shown outbreaks of diarrheal illness primarily because it is tolerant to chlorine and can stay alive for days.

However, chlorine can kill most other germs almost instantly and therefore, keeping chlorine at recommended levels is key to maintaining a healthy pool.

Pool Impurities The most important and basic thing to know is the type of impurities that may be present in the pool. There are several things that may be lurking in

the pool. Like: Faeces & Bacteria: According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the average swimmer contributes at least 0.14 grams of fecal matter to pool water. With such fecal matters comes in deadly bacteria such as E. Coli.

Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs): Swallowing contaminated water present in swimming pools can lead to health problems which are collectively called recreational water illnesses.

that the blame is shared even by elite competitive swimmers. It needs no explanation that such habits contribute to the contamination of pool water.

Maintenance Mantra: To maintain a pool and keep it healthy, chlorine is added in the pool to kill bacteria and germs in the water. However, pools treated with chlorine and other chemicals do not always guarantee complete hygiene, unless they are added at optimum levels. A larger than recommended amount of chlorine can cause people to develop allergies and get red itchy eruptions all over the body.

Crypto, which is considered the leading cause of pool-related diarrheal illness, may survive for days in even in chlorinated water.

A strong odour of chlorine at a pool

Nov-Dec ’14

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cover story

indicates a maintenance problem. A well-chlorinated pool should have little odour.

Swimmer’s ear, also known as otitis externa is another infection, which can be obtained through swimming.

One way of gauging the hygiene of the pool is by looking for slime on the sides and floor of a swimming pool. This is the first warning sign to stay away.

Sanitation methods to maintain pool include filtration to remove pollutants, disinfection to kill infectious microorganisms, swimmer hygiene to minimise the introduction of contaminants into pool water, and regular testing of pool water, including chlorine and pH (acidity) levels.

To maintain the recommended sanitiser levels in pools, advanced chemical controllers with multiple inputs could be of great help in measuring measure pH and ORP (oxidation reduction potential) and control dosing for pH increaser, pH decreaser and sanitizer.

Disinfection: C h l o r i n e o r bromines are commonly used chemicals compounds which can be safely used in a swimming pool.

Bromine is more resistant to heat than chlorine alone, and therefore is generally used in facilities with warmer water temperatures, such as spas. However, it should not be used in outdoor pools, as it is susceptible to breakdown by ultra violet rays, says the Environmental Health Directorate, Department of Health, Western Australia.

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Chlorine is available as a liquid (sodium hypochlorite), powder or tablet form (calcium hypochlorite).

Both of these forms provide only chlorine to disinfect the water.

Chlorine is also available as a mixture of chlorine and cyanuric acid. In these forms, it is available as a powder or in a tablet, stick or cartridge form. These two chemicals add a mixture of both chlorine and isocyanuric acid (stabiliser) to the water.

Use of salt water chlorination systems which produces chlorine by passing an electric current through water containing salt, via special electrodes, is also not uncommon.

During hot conditions, pools using salt water chlorination may need to be checked more frequently, and extra chlorine added if necessary, the Environmental Health Directorate added.

Vacuum the Pool: A pool should be vacuumed every week to keep water clear and reduce the amount of chemicals. There are many types of pool vacuums. If you have a manual design, work it back and forth all over the surface of the pool like you would if vacuuming carpet.

An average pool requires approximately half-an hour of vacuuming. Just like mowing a lawn, move slowly across the water in overlapping parallel lines. And if the pool is too wide for one pass, one can vacuum half at a time.

Watch for a floating hose, which indicates a hole in the line, or diminished suction due to a full filter.

Complete the c leaning by

brushing any algae off the pool sides with a nylon brush on the vacuum pole. For concrete, it is using a stainless steel brush can offer better results.

Along with vacuuming, brushing the walls and tile helps minimize algae buildup and calcium deposits so they do not fester and become larger problems.

Removal of Algae: To prevent visible growth of algae, which imposes a green layer on the water, the National Institute of Technology Tiruchirapalli suggests the following steps: • Brush the walls and floor of the swimming pool to remove algae and reduce the amount of time it takes to kill and clear the algae bloom.

• Ensure that the pH level (acidity) is within the range of 7.2 - 7.6. This will ensure that any chlorine added will work more efficiently - high pH levels in particular will impair the efficiency of the chlorine doing its job. National Institute of Technology Tiruchirapalli suggests that with the pool filter system running, add a chlorine based swimming pool shock at the rate of 1.6 kg. per 1,00,000 litres of pool water dosage for killing algae. The pool filter system should continue to run 24 hours a day.

• If the condition of the swimming pool does not significantly improve after 12-24 hours of filtering, add a second dose of chlorine pool shock at the increased rate. Repeat this process until the algae has been eliminated.

• Once the algae is dead it will turn a white or grayish colour, and it will be suspended in the pool water or settle to the floor. When there is no longer any sign of the color green in your pool, thoroughly vacuum the swimming pool. It is recommended that you vacuum dead algae to waste and not through filter.

• The pool filter should be backwashed or cleaned to be sure that dead algae are not trapped inside the filter. If the filter is not thoroughly cleaned the algae may quickly return.

• Test and balance all of the pool chemical levels using the following guidelines. Free Chlorine: 1-3 ppm, pH: 7.2 – 7.6, Alkalinity: 80 – 120

Nov-Dec ’14

cover story

ppm and Calcium Hardness: 200 –350 ppm.

• An algaecide pool chemical on a weekly basis may prevent algae from returning.

• The fine debris suspended in the water can also make the pool water cloudy. In such cases, you may backwash or clean your pool filter following the manufacturer’s instructions, and run the pool filter

system continuously for 24 to 48 hours.

• And if the water conditions do not significantly improve you may add a clarifier pool chemical to help the pool filter remove the fine debris.

Continue filtering for 12 to 24 hours.

• A second dose of clarifier or a stronger clarifier chemical can be added if water conditions do not improve markedly. Continue to run

your filtration system.

• If the pool can be too cloudy for a clarifier, you may have to move up to a flocculent. This will drop any suspended particles to the floor so you can vacuum it to waste.

F iltration: The pur pose of filtration is to remove dirt and other suspended material from the water. Common types of filters include sand filters, diatomaceous earth and cartridge filters. The filter system should have the ability to completely filter all of the water in a swimming pool within 6-8 hours, recommends the Environmental Health Directorate, Department of Health, Western Australia.

When there are swimmers in the pool, it is important to ensure that the filtration system is operating and for at least one hour after the last bather gets out. A filter may also gather dirt inside it which needs to be removed. Operational efficiency increases in filters that are regularly cleaned.

Many filter systems have a built in pressure gauge that shows the

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cover story backwashing or manual cleaning, and cartridge filters are cleaned manually.

How to Clear Cloudy Pool Water

pressure levels inside the filter.

W henever the pressure levels increase, it indicates that the filter is becoming dirty and needs cleaning, the Health Directorate added.

Systems that do not have pressure

gauges should be cleaned whenever the flow of water from the filter back into the pool noticeably decreases, it noted.

Sand filters are generally cleaned by backwashing. Diatomaceous earth filters are cleaned by either

Swimming Pool Urine Combines with Chlorine to Pose Health Risks: Study A new study shows how uric acid in urine generates potentially hazardous “volatile disinfection byproducts” in swimming pools by interacting with chlorine.

Chlorination is used primarily to prevent pathogenic microorganisms from growing. The disinfection byproducts include cyanogen chloride (CNCl) and trichloramine (NCl3). Cyanogen chloride is a toxic compound that affects many organs, including the lungs, heart and central nervous system by inhalation.

Trichloramine has been associated with acute lung injury in accidental, occupational or recreational exposures to chlorine-based disinfectants.

Researchers had already known that certain airborne contaminants are created when chlorine reacts with sweat and urine in indoor swimming pools.

The new findings show definitively that uric acid from urine is “an efficient precursor to the formation of CNCl and NCl3,” said Jing Li, a visiting scholar from the China Agricultural University working at Purdue University in the US with Ernest R. Blatchley III, a professor of civil engineering.

“Given that uric acid introduction to pools is attributable to urination, the findings indicate important benefits to pool water and air chemistry that could result from improved hygiene habits on the part of swimmers,” Blatchley pointed out.

“A common misconception within the swimming community is that urination in pools is an acceptable practice, although signs and placards are posted in many pools to encourage proper hygiene. It is also well known that many swimmers ignore these warnings; particularly noteworthy among these are competitive swimmers.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in US has documented cases in which people became ill after breathing contaminants at improperly maintained indoor swimming pools. Of particular concern are nitrogencontaining disinfection byproducts, which are more likely than other byproducts to be carcinogenic and to cause cell damage.

The new findings suggest more than 90 percent of uric acid introduced to pools comes from human urine. The researchers analyzed swimming pool water samples, combined with the results of experiments involving chlorination of uric acid and body-fluid like mixtures.

The findings appeared in a research paper that appeared in February in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

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A cloudy swimming pool is normally a sign of a pool that needs to be cleaned. There are ways and means of treating swimming pool water. The National Institute of Technology Tiruchirapalli suggests the following steps: • Test the swimming pool water for Combined Chlorine, pH, Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness.

The two areas that are most likely to cause cloudy pool water are the pH and the Calcium Hardness.

• If the pool chemical levels are not within the following suggested ranges, adjust the chemicals and run the pool filter system for 12-24 hours before re-testing.

• The suggested ranges are: Free Chlorine:1-3 ppm, pH: 7.2 – 7.6, Alkalinity: 90 – 120 ppm and Calcium Hardness: 200 – 350 ppm.

• If all the pool chemical levels test in range, the cloudy pool water is caused by fine debris suspended in the pool water. You should backwash or clean your pool filter, and run the pool filter system continuously for 24 to 48 hours.

• If the water conditions have not significantly improved you should add a clarifier pool chemical to the pool water to help your pool filter remove the fine debris from the water. Continue filtering for 12 to 24 hours.

• If the water conditions have not significantly improved you should add a second dose of clarifier, or a stronger clarifier chemical and continue to run your filtration system.

• Sometimes a pool can be too cloudy for a clarifier. If this is the case you will have to move up to a flocculent. This will drop any suspended particles to the floor so you can vacuum it to waste.

However, it should be noted that as all pools are different, their maintenance needs may also differ.

But one common requirement that they all have is regular, routine . care.

Nov-Dec ’14

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Nov-Dec ’14

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BUSINESS

Making a Killing with

Carpet Cleaning A good business plan combined with an effective marketing strategy could be key to success in this easy-to-set-up but hard-tosustain business of carpet cleaning

By Ashok Malkani

M

arrying warmth with elegance, a fine carpet adds to the grandeur of a place. It also provides thermal resistance. In colder climates or seasons, it retains warm air longer. A carpet also provides a comfortable place to sit,

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play or work and gives a room an overall warmer feeling. The result is that more and more establishments and residential places, which want to embed effervescence to the dĂŠcor bring in carpets as prized floor coverings.

However, carpets also tend to trap a lot of dirt and pollutants

circling in the air or those spread by pets. So when they become dirty, these beautiful coverings can turn into an eyesore and harbinger of numerous germs that can harm the health of residents and guests. It is now well established that wet and damp carpets harbour mold and bacteria that can add to indoor air

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B U S I NESS

entrepreneurial spirit, a little bit of courage and planning can afford to set up a carpet cleaning business and enjoy the freedom and fortune that owning a business offers.

A successful carpet cleaning business should provide quality care and offer services, such as deep carpet cleaning, stain removal, and general care of carpets.

Creating a Business Plan

pollution.

“Carpets may trap pollutants like dust mites, pet dander, cockroach allergens, particle pollution, lead, mold spores, pesticides, dirt and dust,” warns the American Lung Association.

So while on the one hand it is difficult to avoid not installing carpets in hospitality properties, harming the health of the guests could be equally counterproductive.

Carpet cleaning professionals provide an easy way out in situations such as this when property owners

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find themselves trapped between a hard rock and the deep sea.

Regular cleaning can not only help preserve the aura of elegance that carpets present, it can also extend their life and offer the guests comfort of breathing healthy air.

So the demand of carpet cleaning professionals is very high. What is more, setting up a carpet cleaning business is not ver y difficult.

Knowing the nuances of carpet c leaning is no rocket science and neither does it require huge investment. So anyone with an

Easy-to-set-up businesses are often hard-to-sustain. But a business plan filled with foresights can help anyone sail through the hard waters of deep competitions. The most important part here is the pricing.

In the urge to acquire more clients, many start-ups make the mistake of charging too low a price for their services to sustain. They end up spending more than what they earn without realising that more clients in loss making deals would only multiply their losses. The result?

Mounting debts and eventual shut down of the business.

So pricing is crucial and one should have a reasonable profit margins after taking into accounts all expenses – rent of office, salary

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BUSINESS

of employees, interest on loan, cost of buying and replacing equipment and a wage for yourself, among other expenses.

A good business plan should help you stay focused during each stage of business development that can include four or five sections. First, it is important to determine the types of carpet cleaning services you plan to provide. Depending on your interest and skills, you can focus on commercial or residential carpet cleaning--or both. Additional ser vices inc lude deep c ar pet cleaning, area rug cleaning, spot stain removal, minor carpet repair or carpet removal.

The second section could include a list of cleaning equipment and supplies needed to run your business.

Forgetting to include the cost of these items could make you a pay a very heavy price.

Day-to-day expenses, such as phone bills, Internet bills, transportation costs and employee

costs could follow in the next section.

Your marketing strategy may form the core of the fourth section, while how much you estimate to earn at the end of the year may come in the fifth section.

Choosing the right location for your office and a large enough site for cleaning is equally important.

The cleaning site should ideally have certain facilities such as water

Why Carpets are Used as Floor Coverings Insulation: Carpets give warmth and insulation. It retains warm air longer, thus separating the coldness of the floor from your body while giving you comfort.

Safety: It cushions our steps and reduces chances of slipping and falling.

Aesthetic: Its color and texture can decide the atmosphere of a room.

Acoustics: Carpets provide sound insulation and helps reduce disturbing noise as it absorbs sound. Carpets help to block noise between floors & masks the sounds of constant foot traffic.

Cost-effective:- Relatively easy to clean than hard floors – carpets are 2535 percent less expensive than hard floor coverings.

Air Quality: As the dirt & dust gets trapped, there is an improvement in the indoor air quality.

Source: Inputs from Karcher Cleaning Systems Pvt Ltd.

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hookups for hoses and pressure cleaning equipment and proper drainage for wastewater removal and ventilation. A truck or a van to carry the carpets or rugs from the customer’s location to the business location may add to the convenience.

Determining the range of services and acquiring the expertise in those areas – such as steam cleaning, dry cleaning and stain removal -- is very important.

Marketing Strategies Combined with a good business plan, an effective marketing strategy could help you succeed in the venture. Here are a few basic tips: Direct Marketing: D i r e c t marketing remains to be one of the most effective marketing methods, especially for special services like carpet cleaning. Sending flyers with coupons directly into people’s hands is a very easy way to spread the word about your company.

Use of Internet: Along with

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BUSINESS

direct marketing, you should put your local business online. There are multiple ways to marketing a business online. For this you should not only be present on Google but you must also have your own website, blog and social media accounts.

Interacting with your customers and building a loyal fan base on social media accounts can accomplish much in this digital world.

Word of Mouth: People trust their friends’ opinions, so it only makes sense to get all of your current customers to refer your business to their friends. More often than not, your customers will refer you, provided they like your work. Some business owners create referral cards for their current customers.

If a person can get that card filled

out and returned to the business owner, the business owner may send special discounts or coupons to the referrer in the mail.

Monitoring Customer Satisfaction: Make it easy for people to complain! You want to know right away if something is not right or if someone is working against you.

First impressions are very important.

Proper telephone etiquette and procedures are a must for maximising job bookings. Prepare and practice sales scripts and introductory scripts and keep these scripts by the phone for quick reference.

Brand Building: The image you project to your customers will

Types of Carpets The basic ingredient of a carpet is fiber. Around 97 percent carpets are made from synthetic fibers. The type and construction of a fiber will determine how well the carpet will perform.

There are 5 types of carpet fibers.

• Nylon – long lasting and most common • Polyester – Luxurious, soft and could be cleaned easily.

• Acrylic – Looks and feels like wool. Low static level and is moisture resistant.

• Wool – Famous for luxury and performance – more expensive than synthetic.

• Olefin or Polypropylene- Next best seller after nylon. They are colorfast, strong mildew, moisture resistant and easy to clean – suitable for high traffic areas.

Other than the above types, blend fibers are also available. They are typically made from nylon and olefin.

Source: Inputs from Karcher Cleaning Systems Pvt Ltd.

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determine their confidence in you and your services. To increase your image as a professional in your customer’s eyes you must (a) be neat and well groomed; (b) use professionally designed and printed work order / estimate forms and sales aids; (c) your company vehicle should be clean, rust/dent free and should be professionally lettered; and (d) present proposals with confidence and show that you are knowledgeable in your field, etc.

Professionalism: Do what you say you will do, when you say you will do it (i.e. show up on time for appointments, call back at time stated, etc.). Think of yourself as a professional and provide professional, quality work.

Follow-up Calls: Call each customer the day after the cleaning job and thank them. Say that you appreciate his/her business. Ask them if they are satisfied with your service. This way they will realise that you care about keeping their business. If they are dissatisfied with the service, this will give you the opportunity to correct any problems before they have a chance to spread the word about their dissatisfaction to their friends. Handled properly, customer complaints can lead to lifelong loyal customers.

Marketing strategies and salesmanship is a key to success in all businesses. Carpet cleaning is no exception. An eye on the emerging technologies and training your employees to use them could give you the edge over others. .

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h y giene

How to Prevent

Cross-Contamination

By A Ganesh

Training food handlers to follow the hygiene norms in the kitchen and outside could be key to winning the fight against cross-contamination

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hat is cross-contamination? In simple terms, it is the transfer of bacteria or contaminants from a product containing these to one that does not. When we talk of crosscontamination in food, we generally mean the transfer of bacteria from raw food, and the utensils and surfaces used in handling them, to prepared and cooked food.

Cross-contamination is particularly dangerous for the consumer because the prepared and cooked food is ready to eat which will not undergo any further washing or cooking, and so it is likely to pass on food-poisoning organisms such as salmonella, listeria, and the lethal E. coli O157 to those unfortunate enough to eat it.

Cross-contamination is a world-wide problem. It is not uncommon even in countries with highly developed food industries. In the UK, for example, specialists believe that 20 percent of all food-poisoning outbreaks are caused by cross-contamination.

Usually, bacteria come into a kitchen via raw food such as meat, poultry, vegetables and even fruits. Food handlers can also bring bacteria into the workplace through their hands and clothing.

Illness among food handlers can play a part, too. An outbreak of Novovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea, reportedly affected half of the guests at a wedding reception recently.

The bug was traced to cross-contamination of potatoes from a contaminated sink, into which the food handler had previously vomited.

Bacteria can be persistent. They can live and multiply in very small cracks and crevices, and in the surface cuts of chopping boards.

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A particularly dangerous example of crosscontamination from poorly cleaned equipment was reported in the UK in 2005. A meat firm John Tudor and Son from Bridgend in Wales used to sell vacuum-packed cooked meats to local caterers – schools in particular – as well as vacuum-packed raw meat. Unfortunately, despite warnings from food inspectors, the firm used the same vacuum-packing machine for both raw and cooked meat.

Because the firm was careless and complacent, it spread E.coli O157 from raw meat into vacuum-packed cooked meats. As a result, a little boy of five died, and more than 150 people fell ill. They were confirmed as having the same strain of E. coli found on samples of meat at the premises of John Tudor and Son. When the firm’s proprietor William John Tudor was sent for trial in September 2007, the court heard that the vacuumpacking machine at the firm had congealed debris and dirt on it and that his staff had been seen wiping blood off trays as they were packing cooked meats.

Mr Tudor paid a high price for his complacency. He was jailed for a year after he took responsibility for placing unsafe food on the market and failing to protect food against the risk of contamination.

However, not all cross-contamination involves bacteria. Recently, the UK’s Food Standards Agency had to recall quiches, savoury tarts and ready meals made for food retailers Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s because of fears that they had become contaminated with peanuts during an incident at the factory. This could have been serious for people with an

allergy to peanuts.

So how can caterers and food businesses guard against cross-contamination? A clear set of rules is essential: • Have separate refrigerators for raw and cooked foods. If this is not possible, make sure that the food is covered and that raw foods is stored below cooked food. This prevents juices from raw food dripping onto cooked or ready-toeat food.

• Have separate cutting boards, knives and other equipment for preparing raw and cooked food and make sure that these are stored separately.

Always clean equipment thoroughly, using detergents and sanitisers, after preparing food, particularly raw food.

• Clean all food preparation surfaces thoroughly, before and after using them for food preparation. Clear up any spillages and food debris immediately, and clean afterwards.

• Never defrost raw meat or poultry in a sink.

If the poultry is carrying salmonella, the sink will soon become contaminated. If poultry has to be washed, disinfect the sink immediately afterwards.

• Wash hands regularly and thoroughly, especially after handling raw food, and always after visiting the lavatory. Dry the hands thoroughly using a hot-air dryer or throwaway paper towels.

• Keep clothing clean and change soiled aprons and coats immediately.

• Do not allow food handlers to work when they are ill but make sure that they get reasonable pay during sick leaves. Otherwise, they may be tempted to conceal illness from an employer.

(The author is Director, Marketing, Diversey India Pvt. Ltd.)

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c leaning

How to Keep the

Kitchen Clean Right from the architecture of the building to the education of the staff, maintaining hygiene in the kitchen involves a complex process, strict monitoring and complete dedication

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ith increasing integration of the world, food safety is now no longer a mere national concern. Recognising the inalienable relation between safe food and health, food safety authorities of various nations have come together to build closer relations at the international level to discuss emerging food safety issues and effectively meet the challenges of food safety emergencies. Kitchen cleanliness, although a minor segment in the broader issue of food safety, can go a long way in ensuring international standard of food, and avoiding several diseases related to

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the contamination of food.

Building the Right Kitchen Keeping the kitchen clean, however, is not a simple task even for a star rated hotel, swanky restaurant or any good food outlet. Right from the architecture of the building to the education of the staff, maintaining hygiene in the kitchen involves a complex process, strict monitoring and complete dedication. Building the kitchen that properly ventilates air and make regular cleaning easy and simple is very important.

The room temperature and the exhaust system also matter a lot in preventing perspiration. The

kitchen building also plays an important role in the success of green pest management. Green pest management is very important in the kitchen as conventional pest control systems often maintain the risk of contracting harmful

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c le aning pair of clean hands also plays an important role in preventing any unintentional transfer of food items to the equipment or other foods.

Other Facets of Cleanliness

pesticides with food items.

As most hotels aspire to meet the international standards while planning a kitchen, matters like net usable area, ambience, etc. often create an environment of unrest in one’s mind. However, one cannot foresee a clean kitchen without planning a proper drainage system.

This is especially important as the kitchen drain is susceptible to clogging due to heavy flow of peel, grease, food, oil and waste water.

But one has to be circumspect in using commercial drain cleaners as the acids and enzymes in them can cause gradual damage to the pipes.

Some preventive measures like not allowing any solid materials to go down the drain, or occasionally using a mixture of baking powder and vinegar, may do wonders to the drain and the dishwasher. It is here worth noting that baking soda, lemon and vinegar can be widely used as “green” products for keeping the kitchen.

Cleanliness is in the Hands Keeping the kitchen clean, however, is not limited simply to sparkling utensils and clean clothes. In

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fact, the secrets of a clean kitchen often lie in the hands of the food service professionals of the hotels or restaurants, or the housewife/ householder, as the case may be.

Taking proper precaution is very important for preventing the staff from sneezing away bacteria to the valued guests of the restaurants.

People working in kitchen should always hold their hands before their mouth, before sneezing, and then immediately wash their hands before handling the food items.

Of course, it is preferable to not to sneeze, but that is another story.

As hands are used umpteen times to practically do every activity in the kitchens, a strict routine needs to be followed to ensure the hand hygiene. The kitchen staff needs to follow the habit of washing hands after touching the bins, pets and raw meat.

One should instinctively wash hands after going to the toilet and before starting the process of food preparation. Those who reach the apron or look out for the tea towel after washing their hands should immediately amend their habit and switch to disposable kitchen towels to keep everyone safe. As the kitchen staff in the hotels or restaurants has to perform the unsung heroics of serving safe food, most chefs recommend keeping extra care for hands after smoking, shaking hands or touching other parts of one’s own body with hands.

Poor hand hygiene can immediately invite infections from bacteria such as salmonella and E-coli. A

Regular cleaning of all the kitchen appliances is an essential prerequisite for serving safe food. For example, cleaning the chopping boards and worktops needs to become a habit before starting the process of food preparation, in order to avoid the spread of bacteria. Having separate chopping boards for meat and poultr y products also helps in maintaining long term hygiene.

Using hot water for washing out bacteria from the worktops and chopping boards is the general practice in clean kitchens.

Despite the widespread use of disposable napkins in the kitchens, use of cloths and sponges becomes often unavoidable. Dirty and damp cloths can play the perfect spoiler to safe food as they breed bacteria, which can then easily travel to the plate. All kitchen cloths therefore need to be regularly washed and dried before using. Keeping different cloths for separate purposes also goes a long way in keeping the kitchen hygiene intact. Special care needs to be taken in not touching the tea towels after handling meat.

In order to prevent a delicious dish to turn into a recipe for multiple diseases, keeping wooden

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c leaning spoons, knives, spatulas, tongs and other utensils clean is very essential.

For achieving that, washing such utensils at a very high temperature, with good quality detergent has critical importance. A dishwasher comes very handy to make the tedious task of cleaning the utensils easy and effective.

All star hotels generally have their own SOPs (standard of cleaning process) in place. The sous chef monitors the personal hygiene of the staff and all kitchen equipment on a day- to-day basis. Some hotels entrust the chef on duty to check the nails, hairs and uniform of the personnel and ensure that the cleaning staff does not touch the food items.

Following the age-old adage

that prevention is better than cure, some hotels prefer to keep a wash station outside the receiving area of the kitchen for cleaning food stuffs such as eggs, vegetables and fruits. Stringent norms are specially followed for meat, fish, and seafood products.

Floor cleaning is another aspect of kitchen hygiene that often goes unnoticed. Different cleaning schedules need to be followed to maintain the cleanliness of every nook and cranny of the hotel. To sterilise the breeding bacteria from the floor, most hotels keep one staff dedicated to constant floor cleaning. However, comprehensive cleaning of the floor takes place generally at night, when all the movable furniture can be shifted and

Hygienic Habits • Wash hands thoroughly with soap after using the toilet.

• Wash your hands with soap and water after handling pets • Before touching any food item, wash your hands with soap and water.

• Keep nails short and clean. Clean & trim the nails of both hands.

• Your hair should be tied when you cook.

• Preferably the cooking area and the area used for washing utensils should be clearly demarcated and dedicated for the purpose of either cooking or washing utensils only.

These areas should not be connected to the bathrooms or any other source of potential faecal matter.

• Kitchens should be well lighted & ventilated (with either chimney/exhaust fan) & with meshed windows.

• The cooking and eating areas should be preferably elevated • Keep the cooking, washing, and utility areas and kitchen clothes clean. The kitchen surface and the floor should be regularly cleaned. Additionally, clean the kitchen in the night. Kitchens left dirty in the night tend to attract pests, which are often potential carriers of infection.

• Cover all foods, cooked as well as uncooked, at all times.

• If a house fly or any insect has even fleetingly sat on a food item, then that food item needs to be discarded.

These are some of the recommendations of Public Health Foundation of India and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, to maintain hygiene. Maintaining of these basic hygienic steps can also greatly facilitate the emergence of clean kitchens in hotels, restaurants and households.

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every corner of the kitchen can be scrubbed with disinfectant.

Adequate and constant supply of electricity and water are other two very important aspects of kitchen hygiene. Sufficient supply of hot and cold water is as important for a clean kitchen as oxygen is to life. Correct lighting is important not only to the chef for checking the colour of the food, but also goes a long way in maintaining hygiene in the room.

Proper food storage is another important facet for a clean kitchen. Maintaining the required temperature for food products and cleaning the fridge on a regular basis is important for preventing contamination from rotten food items.

As the kitchen of the hotel or a restaurant is the place where the chefs unleash their creativity and aspire for perfection, the ambience of the four walls of the hotel’s or the restaurant’s kitchen must invite attention, for all the right reasons.

A safe, clean and properly equipped kitchen not only facilitates health and hygiene of the guests, but it can also work as an inspiration to the chefs and other kitchen staff to put their best foot (read hand) forward while preparing a dish. Another factor that often surfaces in any talk of clean kitchen is the cost. While proper upkeep of a kitchen demands loosening of your purse strings by only a bit, an unclean kitchen may make many of your kitchen equipment dysfunctional rather early, eventually leaving a heavier burden on the housekeeping budget. .

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pes t ma n age me n t

Eco-Friendly

Pest Management With a focus on exclusion and use of bio-pesticides or plant based pesticides, a non-toxic eco-friendly approach to pest management offers a healthier alternative to chemical pesticides in keeping common kitchen and house pests at bay

n the run up to get rid of the pests that can infiltrate into our living or eating spaces, indiscriminate use of c hemic al pesticides can impact not just the pests, but the complete eco-system in which we live, and expose our health to several diseases. While irritation of the eye, throat, nose and skin; nausea; headache and such

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other symptoms such as loss of appetite, weakness or fatigue are commonly associated with use of pesticides, long-term exposure to harmful chemical pesticides can even lead to cancer and death.

Children are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticide use.

It has been reported that pregnant women exposed to high-level of such pesticides are more likely to give birth to babies with certain developmental disorders. Therefore,

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p e s t m anag ement

when it comes to pests, prevention is a much better option than cure.

And even when pests outsmart your common preventive actions such keeping the premises clean or sealing all gaps and caulks and we are left with no option but to seek professional help, preference should be given to those who provide an eco-friendly approach to pest management.

Eco-friendly pest management puts exclusion as a first-order measure of pest prevention and emphasises the use of bio-pesticides or plant-based pesticides and resorts to chemical pesticides only as a last option.

Here are a few eco-friendly tips for keeping your premises out of bounds for the pesky pests:

Keep it clean. Clean all spills right away. Consistently mop floors and wipe down countertops

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and tables.

Isolate garbage. Use tight-fitting lids on waste receptacles. Throw out garbage promptly. Wash your garbage cans every day.

Seal points of entry. Make sure all windows and doors are tightly sealed. Do not leave open unscrewed windows or doors. Cover vents and drains with screens.

Inspect new supplies. Check incoming inventory for cockroaches,

pantry moths and other insects.

Immediately dispose of anything suspect

Dealing with Common Kitchen Pests The common pests normally found in commercial kitchen are ants, flies, cockroaches and mice.

Ants: For avoiding ants, seal the premises properly. You can also prevent or repel ants somewhat

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pes t ma n age me n t effectively with any of the following: cinnamon, cayenne pepper, black pepper, vinegar, chalk, talcum powder and bay leaves Pest control professionals state that if preventive methods don’t work, then, for red ants, the most effective eco-friendly pesticide is boric acid. Mix one teaspoon boric acid or borax with a jar of jelly or two cups of sugar water. Place the jelly or tiny cotton balls dipped in the sugar-water mixture near the ant problem, but do not block the ant trail. Place one to three pieces of bait every 25 feet. If the ants carry the boric acids back to the place where they camp that will help decimate their own members.

For large or black ants, follow the ant trail to identify the ants’ entry points. Seal the entry points with caulk or screens. You could use soda paste as a temporary seal. Sticky barriers could also be used on the legs of the table.

F lies: Preventive measures for keeping the flies away is to consistently clean their breeding areas like garbage cans, moist mops, sides of drains and drain traps. An easy and safe way to control fruit flies is to use fly traps like Sticky flypapers or Ultraviolet fly traps, which are readily available in the market.

Some tools zap them and some trap them. Never use zappers in food handling areas, or customers will find pieces of fly in

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their food. Another easy solution is the use of covered jar or bowl. Fill a large jar or bowl with bait like honey, beer or wine. Cover with plastic wrap and poke holes in the top. In such a trap, flies enter but cannot find their way out.

Coc kroac hes: To p r e v e n t cockroaches from invading your kitchen, eliminate their access to food and damp, dark areas. Clean regularly and cover garbage and put wet rags and sponges in airtight containers overnight. Hang mops up

to dry. Fix leaky faucets and drains.

Plumbing is like a cockroach’s highway system, so cover vents and floor and sink drains with screens.

If the cockroaches have already made an entry into your establishment then usage of boric acid is considered the most effective ‘green’ way of dealing with them. It is by far the most effective safe method of cockroach control. Boric acid is considered ideal for pest control in eateries because the level of toxicity in boric acid and its salt borax is very less. One can apply 99 percent boric acid or borax to cracks and crevices, under sinks, behind and beneath cabinets and equipment and inside any wall cavities.

Mice: A full-grown rodent can pass through a hole as small as a new 1 rupee coin. So it is very important to seal their entry points to your commercial kitchen. It is also important to take swift action to deal with the rodent menace in the eateries. As soon as you spot a mouse, call an eco-friendly exterminator immediately. There are mouse traps available in the market but it is best to call in a pest control operator.

Mice leave unsanitary droppings and can spread serious, albeit rare, illnesses, including the infectious lung disease Hantavirus.

H o w e v e r, r o d e n t b a i t s for commercial premises and in residential places should be different to avoid any chance of putting children’s health at risk Commercial rodent baits contain

Nov-Dec ’14

p e s t m anag ement anticoagulants, which lead to a slow death of the mice by internal bleeding. If they are used at homes and children ingest them, the poison pellets can be just as lethal.

As far as mouse traps are concerned, experts estimate that one house requires about a dozen traps (not setting enough is the main reason this method fails).

Arrange them along walls and under cabinets, and keep interesting baits like uncooked rolled oats or peanut butter. To make the baits work better, change them every few days.

House Pests

F leas: They are not just a nuisance for your pets. They even suck human blood and can make you itch. F lea treatments that contain ethyl carbamates should be avoided. Even short-term exposure to high levels of ethyl carbamate may induce vomiting, coma, or hemorrhages in humans as they can affect kidneys and livers.

To kill the fleas and their eggs, wash all loose rugs and pet bedding in hot water. Vacuum the carpets in the house or hotels regularly and dispose off the bag outdoors.

Ter mites: O u t o f a l l t h e countless insects, rodents, critters and other pests that disturb and result in discomfort to homeowners everywhere, perhaps none is more dangerous than the termites.

Termites can single-handedly

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d e s t r oy t h e foundation of a house in a ver y shor t span o f t i m e . What makes them even more dangerous is that their destructive design may not come to light for the initial five years after their infestation. And by the time one comes in terms with the termite infestation, it may be just too late.

So it is important to be vigilant.

If you find the floors sagging or holes in the wood work of the building, it is time you got cautious to deal with a possible termite infestation.

To keep you property out of bounds for termites, it is important that you caulk and seal the windows, doorways and cracks around the building. Termites even use the gaps around electrical wiring to traffic themselves into the building.

So they should also be properly sealed.

As termites need water to survive, they are naturally drawn to damp and moist habitats. So make sure

to keep your premises dry as far as possible and do not let dirty debris gather in the gutters.

Boric acid is regarded as one of the most common and effective ways to dispatch of termites. Boric acid shuts down the termite’s nervous system while dehydrating it.

Bed Bugs: In the case of bed bugs too, prevention is the best cure. Unlike the roaches, rodents and fleas, bed bugs do not enter the premises on their own. They have to be physically brought in by a host or luggage. So, one has to be extremely careful at the time of bringing in second hand furniture.

Bug sprays are not always the right answer for getting rid of bugs. They g e n e r a l l y c on t a i n organophosphates, chemicals that paralyze the insect by blocking nerve impulses. However, when humans get exposed to such chemicals, they can cause acute . poisoning.

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laund ry

Intricacies of

If addition of ozone in commercial laundry can help the entrepreneurs cut cost by saving on energy expenditure and water consumption, it also has beneficial effects on the environment and health of laundry workers

Ozone Washing

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ith disinfecting properties of ozone and its resource conservation benefits coming to light, the use of this gas in commercial and industrial laundries gained popularity in the last decade of the last century. It

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has emerged that use of ozone can help save a lot of energy in laundry. With the addition of ozone to commercial laundries, it is possible to effectively wash clothes in cold water, thereby saving a lot of energy spent in heating water. The process can also curb the usage of washing detergent and water as ozone enhances the wash process

and reduces wash cycles, leading to faster completion of wash loads. What is more, the gentler ozone water cycles can also help extend linen life by up to 25 percent. Cut in usage of chemicals harmful to clothes and reduction is rinse and dryer cycles also work to extend fabric life.

It has also been claimed that ozonewash water has superior disinfecting properties, killing viruses in just 5-6 minutes.

These are some of the benefits that ozone washing provides the laundry entrepreneurs and helps them cut cost. Many even claim that ozone washing is beneficial to the environment and also the operators who are at risk of exposure to many hazardous chemicals in conventional laundry.

Studies have concluded that ozone laundering reduces the amount of laundry chemicals discharged to waste and upon ozonisation soils become more biodegradable. And as it cubs the usage and storage of laundering chemicals, the laundry workers may feel safer.

However, it deserves here a mention that too much exposure to ozone can also be bad for health, especially as it can affect the respiratory system.

But because of its powerful disinfecting properties, ozone-washing could be ideal in hospital laundries as

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laund ry it can curb hospital-acquired infection in patients by killing or making inactive harmful microorganism found in many soiled textiles.

What is Ozone

Ozone is created when air is exposed to either: ultraviolet light, lightening or man-made high voltage electric arcs.

This causes some of the oxygen (O2) molecules to fracture into two Oxygen (O) atoms. These atoms then combine with other oxygen molecules, forming a molecule of ozone; consisting of a group of three oxygen atoms (O3).

Ozone is very reactive and is nature’s own way of destroying pollutants and cleaning up the atmosphere. It works best in cold water as hot water breaks ozone down before it can perform as intended.

Ozone Laundry Systems

Ozone Laundry Systems use an ozone generator which is usually integrated with existing equipment. Compressed air is forced through a high voltage electrical arc, which results in the conversion of oxygen molecules into ozone gas. The ozone is then dissolved in cold laundry wash water where it exerts its powerful cleaning action. Because it is so reactive, ozone readily attaches itself to fatty and other soils that bind dirt to clothing, destroying them rapidly.

As one of the strongest known oxidizing agents, ozone is capable of breaking down virtually any organic soil into innocuous compounds such as carbon dioxide and water.

Properties of Ozone

Ozone is a gas with a pungent odour that is formed by the breakdown of elemental, diatomic Oxygen (02) and the recombination of a percentage of the oxygen atoms into a triatomic molecule (03). Although normal oxygen, a component of the atmosphere, is a powerful oxidizing agent in its own right, ozone has much stronger oxidizing properties and reacts more quickly, often in fractions of a second, with a wide range of substances. In addition, it is one of the most effective biocides known to science, better even than chlorine, bromine and other commonly used disinfectants. Unlike the latter substances, however, it does not form hazardous disinfectant by-products

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(DBP’s) such as dioxin and nitrites that are harmful to the environment or are toxic to animals and hurnans.

Once ozone has fully reacted with substances in water or air, excess gas decomposes quickly to normal oxygen and is reabsorbed into the atmosphere.

Ozone can be generated from two sources: ambient air or pure oxygen.

Because it reacts so easily with other elements and is inherently unstable, it exists for only a short time before combining with another substance or reverting to normal oxygen.

Accordingly, it must be generated on-site at the point that it is to be used.

Unlike chlorine and other dangerous disinfectants, it does not need to be handled, transported or stored, thereby posing little hazard to personnel at the facility. Finally, when used in proper concentrations, ozone is an effective corrosion inhibitor, and in the wash room context can reduce the need for substances like chlorine, which are vey corrosive for equipment and fabrics

Does ozone laundry really work?

The potential of ozone in the laundry industry has led some manufacturers to build ozone-based washing systems and claimed them to be detergent-less laundry solution. However, testing consumerreports.org has revealed this year that at least two such laundry solutions marketed with similar claims – pureWash Eco-friendly Laundry System and Wash it Laundry System – are just true good to be true. However, a report based on the use of ozone laundry in a US hospital shows that ozone laundry really has the potential for cost savings from reduced hot water use. The hospital found that using ozonated water eliminates approximately 75 to 80 percent of hot water use, and the power bill declined by 25 to 30 percent. With such cost saving, it was estimated that the cost of ozone generators could be recovered within approximately two years of their installation. There are some more benefits when the system is installed and operated. For example, the laundry turns out much whiter, the report added. “You can set towels washed with ozonated water next to towels washed traditionally, and the superior whitening effect of ozone is

immediately and dramatically obvious,” the report based on interviews with the managers of Penacook Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Massachusetts added.

“Another benefit is that the laundry room turns much cooler in the summer.

The decreased need for hot water reduces room temperature by a great deal, and anything we can do to make our staff more comfortable at work is a plus,” the managers of the hospital told Nursing Homes/Long Term Care Management journal.

They added that besides making the laundry whiter and brighter, ozone also makes it a lot fluffier as it helps opens the pores of the fabrics. “For this reason, in addition to using less hot water, laundry washed with ozonated water dries faster, so there is less energy used for drying and there are fewer dryer cycles to raise the room temperature in warm weather.” However, they cautioned that with addition of ozone generator, the laundry area needs to be well ventilated; ozone does have a slight odour. But if the laundry is properly vented, the presence of the ozone does not affect anyone, the managers of rehabilitation facility noted.

“It is also important to know that ozone deteriorates rubber. As a result, replace some rubber hoses on the washers,” they maintained.

Another benefit according to them is that ozone generators require very little maintenance. There are some small filters that have to be kept clean, but overall they perform well without much routine maintenance, the report concluded. .

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waste m a n age me n t

Spotlight

on Hospital Waste Management In the absence of proper hospital waste management, the infectious component of the hospital waste poses the maximum threat for its potential for transmission of infectious diseases and the people most at risk are the hospital staff and waste handlers

By Jyotismita Sharma

roper management of biomedical waste generated in healthcare institutions is critical for maintaining hygiene in these establishments and also for the safety of the patients, hospital staff and for the public in general.

However, it has now come to light that not all hospitals are following the rules regarding biomedical waste management that the government has clearly set out. And it is not just the small private hospitals that are found lacking in putting in place adequate waste management system in their facilities, the attitude of government hospitals has been equally lackluster, if not more. But will it be allowed to go on forever?

The answer is a clear “no�, if we go by the conviction of a government hospital in Odisha in November this year for violation of Biomedical

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Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998.

Sending a clear signal that it is time health care institutions across the country put their house in order, Jagatsinghpur district headquarters hospital (DHH) in the state was held guilty of serious lapses in biomedical waste management.

Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM), Jagatsinghpur, Alekh Chandra Pradhan on November 11 even sentenced the former Additional District Medical Officer (ADMO) Dr Nityananda Panda to six months of imprisonment and imposed a penalty of Rs.50, 000.

A fine of equal amount has been

Nov-Dec ’14

was t e m anag ement imposed on the DHH too. The hospital was found guilty of flouting the guidelines on biomedical waste generation, handling and disposal.

The conviction was the culmination of a criminal case filed

by Odisha State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) in 2010.

What is even more alarming is that many other hospitals in the state are now facing trail for violating the biomedical waste management rules.

Only time would tell what would be the fate of these institutions.

But this incident is a clear indication for all health care institutions that not following the guidelines for biomedical waste management is a clear invitation for trouble. So it is essential that healthcare institutions educate their staff about the importance of biomedical waste management and see that all precautions are taken in this regard. Since the early recovery of the patient and health of clinical staff directly depends on a clean and hygienic environment, it is essential

Nov-Dec ’14

that hospital waste is collected, stored and disposed off in a proper and scientific manner.

What is Biomedical Waste?

Bio-medical Waste (BMW) in India is used to refer waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of human beings

or animals, in research or in the production or testing of biological products. The waste coming out of medical treatment given at home is also incorporated within the ambit of BNW. Those medical wastes, which have the potential to transmit viral, bacterial or parasitic diseases, are

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waste m a n age me n t

Guidelines for Biomedical Waste Disposal

I

ndia has notified Bio-medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules in 1998, as amended in the years 2000 & 2003, to provide a regulatory framework for segregation, transportation, storage, treatment and disposal of the bio-medical waste generated from the Health Care Facilities (HCFs) in the country so as to avoid adverse impact on human health and environment.

National Guidelines on Hospital Waste Management based on Bio-medical waste (Management & Handling) Rules were released by Ministry of Health and Family welfare and distributed to all States/Union Territories in 2002 for implementation.

In addition, a National Policy document and Operational Guidelines for Community Health Centres, Primary Health Centres and Sub-centres developed by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have been released for proper Bio-medical Waste Management under implementation of Infection Management and Environment Plan (IMEP).

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has prescribed guidelines for Common BioMedical Waste Treatment Facilities as well as for design and construction of Incinerators.

However, Health being a state subject, it is the responsibility of the concerned State Government to take necessary steps to monitor the disposal of biomedical wastes through the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in the Union Territories, as per the provisions made under the Bio-medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998, as amended in the years 2000 & 2003.

The State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) are the prescribed authorities to grant authorization for the BMW Management. They are empowered to ensure the compliance of provisions of these Rules.

As per the National Guidelines for Hospital Waste Management mentioned above, the Head of the hospital shall form a waste Management Committee under his Chairmanship. The Waste Management Committee shall meet regularly to review the performance of the waste disposal.

This Committee is responsible for making hospital specific action plan for hospital waste management and for its supervision, monitoring implementation and looking after the safety of the bio-medical waste handlers.

Source: Press Information Bureau

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called infectious waste. Infectious waste is hazardous in nature and includes both human and animal infectious waste and waste generated in laboratories, and veterinary practice.

Some components of biomedical waste include: • H u m a n a n a t o m i c a l w a s t e (tissues, organs, body parts etc.)

• Animal waste (as above, generated during research/experimentation, from veterinary hospitals etc.)

• Microbiology and biotechnology waste, such as, laboratory cultures, micro-organisms, human and animal cell cultures, toxins etc.

• Waste sharps, such as, hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpels, broken glass etc.

• Discarded medicines and cytotoxic drugs • Soiled waste, such as dressing, bandages, plaster casts, material contaminated with blood etc.

• Solid waste (disposable items like tubes, catheters etc. excluding sharps) • Liquid waste generated from any of the infected areas • Incineration ash • Chemical waste

Importance of Managing Hospital Waste While it is estimated that 8085 percent of hospital waste is noninfectious, 10 percent is infectious and 5 percent is other hazardous waste, all hospital waste has the potential to transmit infection.

This is because if the infectious component gets mixed with the general noninfectious waste, the entire bulk of hospital waste becomes potentially infectious.

However, it goes without saying that the infectious component of the hospital waste poses the maximum threat for its potential for transmission of infectious diseases.

The persons most at risk are the staff of hospitals particularly nurses and other health care providers, waste handlers both within and outside the health care establishment.

Moreover, poor hospital waste management can lead to injuries from sharp waste material to all categories of hospital personnel and waste handlers. While it increases risks of infections outside hospital for waste handlers, scavengers and (eventually) the general public, the consequences can be even more serious leading to change in microbial ecology and spread of antibiotic resistance.

Therefore, it is necessary to: • keep the waste secured and preventing the access to unauthorised persons at every stage; • initiate awareness within the health care establishment and the community about the potential hazard of medical waste; • decontaminate or disinfect the infectious component of the waste at site of generation; and • disfigure the single/limited use items to prevent their reuse as recycling and reuse of bio-medical wastes except plastics and glassware have been prohibited.

Moreover, it should be kept in mind that general hospital hygiene is a prerequisite for good medical waste management. Therefore the healthcare facilities need to have a reliable supply of safe water, and basic sanitation facilities accessible to hospital personnel, patients and visitors. .

Nov-Dec ’14

.

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33 23

iaq

HOW to Curb Indoor Air Pollution

healthy life as the quality of air that you breathe is no less important than the quality of food that you eat. And thankfully, it is possible to minimize the level of indoor air pollution. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are three common approaches to reducing indoor air pollution – eliminate or control the source of pollution, outdoor air ventilation and use of appropriate air cleaners.

Source Control Eliminating individual sources of pollution or reducing their emissions is regarded as the most effective way to curb indoor air pollution.

“In many cases, source control is also a more cost-efficient approach to protecting indoor air quality than increasing ventilation because increasing ventilation can increase energy costs,” states the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

While some sources, like those that contain asbestos, can be sealed

tdoor proving ou im , n o ti llu air po mon e of indoor e most com rc re u th so e e th th re g leaners a or controllin priate air c ro Eliminating p p a f o on and use quality air ventilati g indoor air in v ro p im s to or enclosed, others, like gas stoves, approache

By Jyotismita Sharma

A

lthough the level of awareness about indoor air quality can still be considered to be quite low in India, it is now confirmed that staying indoors cannot shield you from the harmful effects of air pollution if the air you breathe inside your home or workplace is of poor quality. So if you experience headache, dizziness, fatigue or irritation of the eye, nose or throat while working at your office or working out at your gym, it could well be due indoor air pollution.

And if these conditions appear to be mild to you, experts have bigger warnings in store. Prolonged

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exposure to indoor air pollution can worsen/lead to diseases such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory tract infection and lung cancer. According to a World Health Organisation report, air contamination due to dampness in buildings exacerbates upper respiratory symptoms, cough, wheeze, breathing difficulty, asthma exacerbation, development of new asthma, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis (allergy-caused inflammation of the nasal passages with runny nose or congestion), and eczema.

Improving indoor air quality, therefore, is integral to leading a

can be adjusted to decrease the amount of emissions, it added.

But to put in place an efficient strategy to control the sources of pollution, it is extremely important to first understand these sources.

Radon: It is a toxic colourless and odourless gas exposure to which is thought to be the second most important cause of lung cancer after smoking. The most common source of indoor radon is uranium in the soil or rock on which homes

Nov-Dec ’14

are built. The cracks at concrete floor-wall junctions, floor gaps, drains, and pores in hollow-block walls gaps or any other hole in the foundation of your building can serve as a window to emit radon that occurs naturally from the breakdown of uranium in soils and rocks. The gas, thus tapped inside the home, can build up. According to EPA, radon from soil gas is the main cause of radon problems.

Although radon sometimes enters the home through well water, in a small number of homes, the building materials can give off radon, too.

However, building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves Adequate preventive measures at the time of designing and construction of a building can help mitigate the risks of radon. However, existing buildings can also reduce the risks of radon by taking up simple alterations in the building to ensure increased under-floor ventilations and sealing floor gaps to prevent emission of the gas from soils. In case of healthcare centres, it is important to ensure that radioactive gas such as radon which may be of use in one chamber does not mix with the indoor air of another chamber inhabiting the patients.

Professional help can also be sought to deal with the problem of radon in areas with high radon concentration. However, before that one can get the radon test done with a reliable radon test tool kit.

Nov-Dec ’14

Tobacco Smoke: It is not just active smoking which is harmful, even exposure to environmental tobacco smoke or second hand smoke can cause lung cancer and several other diseases. Children and infants are especially vulnerable to second hand smoke and therefore it is safer not to allow anyone smoke indoor.

Biological Contaminants: Sources of biological contaminants that include bacteria, molds, mildew, viruses, animal dander and cat saliva, house dust mites, cockroaches, and pollen are many. While pollens can originate from household plants, people, animals, and soil and plant debris are carriers of bacteria.

Household pets are sources of saliva and animal dander. The protein in rats and mice urine is a potent allergen as it can become airborne when dried. Mold, mildew, and other sources of biological contaminants can breed in contaminated central air handling systems.

Controlling the indoor humidity level is the key to minimizing the sources of biologicals contaminants.

A relative humidity of 30-50 percent is generally recommended for homes.

Fixing water leakage and replacing water-damaged materials, or getting rid of wet surfaces can help keep molds, mildews, bacteria, house dust mites and insects at bay.

Watch the Stoves and Heaters According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 4.3 million people worldwide die every year from indoor air pollution emitted by rudimentary biomass and coal cook stoves. They die from strokes, and heart and pulmonary diseases, such as childhood pneumonia and lung cancer. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to such diseases primarily caused by high

35

iaq

Is the air in

your gym

clean?

E

ven as you brave the chilly weather to hit the neighbourhood gym to stay in shape and reduce risk of heart diseases, diabetes and obesity, researchers have pointed out that if the air in your gym is not clean the effects of exercise could be counterproductive.

As people breathe heavily while exercising, poor indoor air quality is a particular issue in gyms.

“Athletes and the common individual can be at risk when they are practicing exercise in polluted environments,” said the researchers at the University of Lisbon in Portugal and the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.

For the study, a monitoring program was undertaken in 11 fitness centers from Lisbon where comfort parameters (temperature and humidity) and indoor air pollutants including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, airborne particulates such as dust, and various chemicals released by carpeting, cleaning products, furniture or paint, including formaldehyde were measured.

Three gyms were selected to perform a deeper analysis consisting of longer measurement periods and more parameters, such as particle chemical composition and nanoparticle lung deposition.

Measurements were performed during the occupation time, in the studios and in the bodybuilding room, in order to recognise daily patterns and to identify pollutant sources.

The researchers found that concentrations of airborne dust, formaldehyde and carbon dioxide in the gyms exceeded most accepted standards for indoor air quality.

What was even more alarming was that pollutant measurements demonstrated increased levels of particles when the spaces were occupied during classes. In sufficient concentrations, these pollutants can cause asthma and other respiratory conditions.

“It is crucial to optimise the HVAC systems, ventilation rates and occupants behaviour in order to reduce the exposure to air pollutants in fitness centers and to potentiate the benefits of sport activities,” the researchers concluded in the study appeared in the journal Building and Environment.

So finding out what measures your gym owner has put in place to keep the indoor air clean could be key to your well-being.

levels of fine particulate matter and carbon monoxide released by the burning of solid fuels such as wood, coal, animal dung, crop waste and charcoal in inefficient stoves, space heaters, or lamps. Unvented kerosene heaters may also generate acid aerosols. Combustion gases and particles also come from chimneys and flues that are improperly installed or maintained and cracked furnace heat exchangers.

Besides these sources of indoor air pollution, certain household products like paints, varnishes, building materials like asbestos, and use of certain cleaning products and pesticides can also be sources of indoor air pollution. So minimizing the use of these products and materials can help one cope with the glaring problem of indoor air pollution. Besides, ensuring hygiene to minimise biological contaminants and using good housekeeping practices to control particles are essential.

Ventilation Outdoor air ventilation is also considered to be an effective method to deal with contaminated indoor air. Installing an exhaust fan close to the contaminants source, increasing outdoor air flows in mechanical ventilation systems, and opening windows are common ventilation methods.

Air Cleaners When the above two methods are found to be inadequate, air cleaners can come to your rescue. While air filters, electronic particle air cleaners and ionizers are often used to remove airborne particles, gas adsorbing material is sometimes used to remove gaseous contaminants. .

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PROD U CT PREV I EW

Miraclean introduces India’s first Wringer Trolley Mop Bucket

M

iraclean , a company that has carved a niche for itself in the cleaning industry, with a wide range of cleaning tools varying from brooms and brushes to janitor’s pouch has now come up with India’s first Twin ‘Wringer trolley’ Mop Bucket.

This innovative product has a stainless steel, mirror polished body, which makes it not only highly durable but also attractive. The rust resistant creation comes with heavy duty 360° movable wheel enabling you to reach every nook and cranny of the room.

The highly attractive and utilitarian product has an imported PP Wringer which rinses water effectively. The trolley has a brushed pedal for keeping it stationary. The compact and lightweight trolley is also available in multiple colours.

The twin wringer trolley ensures separate water system (keeping dirty water and clean water separate. The trolley has a separate stand for keeping different materials (Brush, Bottle, Cloth etc.). For the customers’ ease and convenience all parts/fittings are changeable – and easily available. Elegantly designed, this trolley, with a mop that will leave the floor looking spic and span, is now available at an extremely competitive price.

Miraclean Tools (P) Limited miracleantools@gmail.com

EASY TO OPERATE RIDE-ON

SCRUBBER DRIER

W

ith special emphasis on easy handling, Karcher India has introduced its new B 250 R top of the range, high-end rideon scrubber drier.

The brush head is now easy to change, combining different working widths (100 or 120 cm) and types of brush (roller, disc) in any way that is required for the customer application.It is also possible to connect the fresh water tank to the mains with a hose, making it easy to fill. Thanks to an autofill system, the water feed stops automatically as soon as the maximum fill level is reached, so the operator can perform other tasks in the meantime.

The B 250 R is especially energy-efficient and environmentally friendly in the eco!efficiency mode, which is perfectly adequate for maintenance cleaning of most floors. On this setting, the machine works with a lower turbine output, less detergent and a lower brush rotation speed thus extending the running time of the machine up till 5 hours. The sweeping system fitted as standard features with roller brushes that sweep dirt into a dirt tray directly behind the brush head, eliminatinga work operation.

At 1.90 m in length, this manoeuvrable machine is compact, and yet it is designed for cleaning large areas. The fresh and waste water tanks each hold 250 litres, and generously sized batteries enable the machine to operate for up to 8 hours (in the eco!efficiency mode). The B 250 R has an impressively small turning circle (2120 mm). Due to its short wheelbase it almost turns on the spot. This battery-powered machine is especially useful for BSC, in industry, in shopping centres, in airports, exhibition centres, etc.

Karcher Cleaning System Pvt. Ltd. clean@karcher.in

Personalised Hygiene in Public Restrooms

E

specially formulated to disinfect any public toilet seat surface, Pee Safe is a leading toilet seat sanitiser spray available in India. For anyone who needs to use public restrooms, including travellers, this easy-to-carry antibacterial spray could ensure complete and instant personal hygiene.

With its fresh mint fragrance, Pee Safe also cleanses and deodorises the toilet and its surrounding areas to offer the users a refreshing restroom experience.

Conceptualised, designed and developed under the leadership of SRV Damage Preventions Pvt Ltd, this toilet seat sanitiser ensures protection against most diseases caused by germs and bacteria commonly found in public restrooms.

SRV Damage Preventions Pvt. Ltd. harshal@safetykart.com

T

he information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

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Nov-Dec ’14

business opportunity

A d v e r t i s e r s Page No.

Company

Company

I n d e x Page No.

AMAn cleaning equipments pvt. ltd.

.......................25

Miraclean tools pvt. ltd.

.......................FIC

archii

.......................33

Pest Control (India) pvt. Ltd.

.......................13

atlantic paste & glue co. INC.

.......................31

Quartz home care (i) p ltd.

.......................11

borghi brush machinery pvt. ltd.

.......................05

roots multiclean Ltd.

.......................bc

Diversey india pvt. ltd.

.......................01

sintex industries limited

.......................17

grand chemical works

.......................27

Supeshine Laundry Systems Pvt. Ltd.

.......................bic

ifb industries ltd.

.......................23

tanishka products

.......................04

Navin Polycon

.......................06

unique trading company

.......................35

nutech jetting equipments india pvt. ltd.

.......................gf

product preview

.......................38

* BC - BACK COVER

Nov-Dec ’14

* GF-GATE FOLD

* FIC - FRONT INSIDE COVER

* BIC - BACK INSIDE COVER

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interv ie w

Housekeeping is the Backbone of Hotel Operations

By Sharmila Chand With her talent, hard work and dedication, Shikha Khanna has climbed up the ladder of her hospitality career very fast. Just 11 years into the job and she is now the Housekeeping Manager at The Westin Mumbai Garden City. Starting her career in the year 2003 as Management Trainee with Intercontinental The Grand, this IHM Mumbai alumnus was soon promoted as Housekeeping Supervisor. By the end of 2004, she moved to Grand Hyatt Mumbai as Team Leader Housekeeping and was exposed to the operations in Room and Residences. She was promoted as Assistant Manager in Housekeeping in 2007 and was certified as Departmental Trainer. Shikha got promoted as Assistant Housekeeping Manager in 2010 at Grand Hyatt. In 2014, she joined Starwood Hotel & Resorts as Housekeeping Manager at The Westin Mumbai Garden City. Excerpts from an interview:

How important in your opinion is housekeeping to hospitality?

Housekeeping is the department that deals essentially with cleanliness and all ancillary services in the hotel. It is the backbone of hotel operations and plays an important role in keeping the hotel’s environment clean, hygienic and sanitized. It goes without saying that aesthetics and upkeep of the entire hotel is extremely vital for the overall guest experience.

How significant is the role of training in this area of management?

Training plays a very important role for setting the benchmarks of the technical knowledge, grooming and communication skills of the associates at The Westin Mumbai Garden City. Constant training is helpful to imbibe discipline and the value system in the associate’s job which becomes their way of life. It is easier for a well-trained associate to interact and deal with guest issues and ensure prompt service recovery.

a nominal rate. What needs to improve in India is the dignity and value of labour so that we can attract and retain talent.

What are the challenges you have to face in your job responsibilities?

Unavailability of trained manpower and cost management in the constantly changing business environment are the challenges that I face in my job responsibilities.

new jobs pest new

What elements do you take into account while recruiting staff in the Housekeeping department?

The Westin Mumbai Garden City believes in recruiting the associates who are hardworking, good team players, and most importantly who are willing to serve the guests with the best of their ability.

Associates in housekeeping require humility, enthusiasm to learn, positive service attitude and integrity to adapt to their jobs. They should also be well versed with the hospitality etiquettes. Team members are first hired and trained and then they are assigned their tasks.

Please name any one tool which has made the operations much easier.

The vacuum cleaner and carpet shampooing machine are the tools that have reduced the work load in housekeeping, thereby making operations much easier.

How does India compare with the international scenario with regards to housekeeping?

The housekeeping scenario in India is better due to our inherent hospitable nature and social value system. Our services are round the clock due to ample supply of labour at

What is the modus operandi of housekeeping operations at your hotel?

The modus operandi is to follow the basics of housekeeping and provide consistent service with utmost care of guest’s privacy and security. Cleaning is checking; we use our five senses while cleaning and eye for detail plays an important role in providing the best results.

What are the new trends housekeeping?

Increased automation, entry of specialised agencies for various like glass cleaning, façade cleaning, control, sanitization, etc. are the trends in housekeeping.

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in

What is the role of the housekeeping staff in the context of security?

They are the eyes and ears of the hotel as housekeeping associates are the only staff that enters each and every room of the hotel on a daily basis. It is imperative that they report anything untoward or suspicious immediately in order to safeguard life and property.

What do you like about your job?

The regular scope of innovation in housekeeping is the most attractive part of the job.

Finally, what is it that you would like to change about your job?

There is a tendency among people to pass the blame for any flaw, even if the guest is upset about something completely different, to the housekeeping department, probably because it is the easiest to pick on the flaws of this department. This vulnerability that the housekeeping department experiences needs to be changed.

Nov-Dec ’14

Regd. No. R.N. DELENG/2001/7213

July-Aug ’14

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